Top 10 Scholarships Every High School Senior Should Know About

It is no secret that the world around has become more expensive. Nowhere can this be made more evident than in higher education. From tuition, to room and board, to the overall cost of life as a full-time student, college is not cheap. This awareness can add pressure to a students’ choice of where to go and what to study. Some students have a desire to study a topic in a school that is out of their home state, and therefore even more expensive. Other students want to join clubs and societies on campus, which can add to the overall cost. These factors are not easy to overcome without careful planning and some additional help. Luckily, there is a solution: Scholarships. 

College scholarships are a fantastic way to alleviate both the financial and emotional burden of going to school. While some require lots of work to apply, others can be fairly quick. And what’s amazing is just how many there are. No matter what field of study, or career aspirations you might have for your future, there is a scholarship out there for you. In order to help you get started, we at NSHSS have decided to highlight ten key scholarships that every high school Senior should know about. These scholarships are amazing financial resources, but they can also become great networking platforms. So take a look at the ten scholarships you don’t want to miss before you walk across that graduation stage. 

 

1. NSHSS STEAM Scholarship

As we know, technology is growing and it’s growing fast. Nowhere is this more impacted than in the arts. While this can be intimidating to some artists, it should not be something to run from. In order to expand your knowledge on technology’s role in art, and how to maximize its multi-faceted utilization, NSHSS created the STEAM Scholarship to bring you into the fold and help you along your artistic path. Winners of this scholarship can earn up to $10,000.00 in tuition funds. For those interested, please see the application requirements below: 

• Educator recommendation
• Prompt response of 500-800 words to the following question:
• Why STEAM? What drew you to pursue a career in a STEAM field? What are your career aspirations related to your major? Provide us with specific examples of your dedication to this field.
• Pictures/videos/media showing your leadership in action (optional)
• Color headshot suitable for website posting
• Academic resume
• Current Transcript (can be official or unofficial)

 

2. Claes Nobel Future Female Leader Scholarship

This enriching and incredibly important scholarship was designed by and for women. The goal of this scholarship is to empower women to become leaders in their own fields and in their own lives. This scholarship is not just built around a financial incentive, it was created so that the female students of today can become the female leaders of tomorrow. But that is not to say there is not a reward. For those who are selected for this scholarship, you can earn up to $10,000.00. For those interested, please see the application requirements below:

• Prompt response of 500-800 words to the following question: 
• Discuss how, through your leadership and participation in school and community events, activities, and organizations, you possess the mindset and skills to succeed one day as a leader in the field of your own dreams. Some points you may wish to address, but are not limited to, include: using creativity to solve problems, using humor to diffuse tense situations and build relationships, and inspiring confidence in others to collaborate with you or follow your lead. Please be specific in your examples.
• Pictures/videos/media showing your leadership in action (optional)
• Color headshot
• Academic resume
• Current Transcript (can be official or unofficial)
• Educator recommendation letter

 

3.  The Coca Cola Scholars Program Scholarship

The Coca Cola company is committed to enriching the lives of high-achieving students devoted to their careers and their communities. Each year, they select 15 students in their Senior year from all across the country who exemplify hard work and a passion for learning. If you are somebody who works hard and wants to give back to the community, then this scholarship is for you. For those interested, please the application requirements listed below:

• Currently enrolled high school/home-schooled students attending school in one of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or select DoD schools who will graduate high school during the 2024-2025 academic school year(students graduating from an American or expat school abroad are not eligible for this award; individuals who have already graduated from high school are not eligible)
• U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals, U.S. Permanent Residents, Refugees, Asylees, Cuban-Haitian Entrants, or Humanitarian Parolees - based on the guidelines utilized by U.S. Department of Education for Federal Financial Aid eligibility
• Expecting to receive high school diploma during current academic year
• Planning to pursue a degree at an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution
• Able to verify a minimum overall B/3.0 GPA in high school coursework

 

4. NSHSS Foundation Earth Day Award

The future of our planet is a very great concern and passion for us NSHSS. We are committed to the safety of our environment and the prosperity of the world we live in. We want to find those students who are just as passionate as ourselves that we may highlight their achievements and aware their efforts. This scholarship does just that, and more! For those interested, please see the application requirements listed below: 

• Prompt response of 500-800 words to the following question:
• What environmental project are you working on currently? Explain your process, the impact of the project in your community, and how it will impact the future.
• Pictures/videos/media showing your leadership in action (optional)
• Color headshot suitable for posting
• Academic resume
• Current Transcript (can be official or unofficial)
• Educator recommendation letter 

 

5. NSHSS Research and Academic Paper Scholarship

Writing is essential to the enrichment of your education. But in the last few years, writing has changed a lot. Thanks to the advancement of AI into our daily lives, writing has become both easier and quicker, but also more picked-over and analyzed in a way never-before-seen. Now AI has moved into the realm of education, with students learning directly from the computer-based technology itself, which before was merely the tool used by the teacher or professor. So we are looking for two students to answer the question: what is the ultimate role and impact of AI in writing? By submitting your essay on this topic, you can receive $1,250.00 for your response. For those interested, please the application requirements listed below: 

• Upload a copy of your essay on the online application as a word document in APA format (double-spaced, 12 point font). Essays must be submitted in English. Include the following details in your paper:
• Title page
• Reference page included on a separate page of the paper
• Please visit the link below to see an example of an APA Sample Student Paper https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/apa_sample_paper.html 
• Pictures/videos/media showing your leadership in action (optional)
• Color headshot for suitable for website posting
• Academic resume
• Current Transcript (can be official or unofficial)
• Educator recommendation

 

6. Women at Microsoft Scholarship

The role for women in the field of science and technology is more important now than ever before. That is why Microsoft is looking for women who demonstrate strong leadership skills and a passion for science and learning. If you are interested in becoming a leader in these fields, then this is something you cannot miss. Below is the criteria for applying:

• Be a graduating high school senior  
• Self-identify as a woman, non-binary, gender fluid or transgender woman
• Plan to enroll full-time in a technology, engineering, math, or computer science related undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school, in the United States, for the entire upcoming academic year. (International applicants are welcome to apply if they will attend school in the United States.)
• Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent.

 

7. The “Save a Life” Scholarship

If you have a passion for medicine and aspirations for medical school, then this is the scholarship for you. The American Academy of CPR and First Aid has created a scholarship for those high school seniors who excel in the field of health and science. Listed below are the required criteria:

• Your name, address, phone number, and email
• Your scholarship essay of between 750 and 1,000 words, explaining your career aspirations, how you plan to advance healthcare and/or education through your work, and what inspired you to commit yourself to this field. Your scholarship essay can be attached as a Word file, or linked as a Google Doc.
• Submit your essay before each deadline. Essays received after the deadline will not be considered.
• Fall Scholarship Deadline - October 1st, 2020
• Spring Scholarship Deadline - May 1st, 2021
• A copy of your most recent academic transcript to prove enrollment in a qualifying degree program from accredited US institutions.

 

8. The CIA Undergraduate Scholarship Program

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to apply for this incredible opportunity working in one of the most fascinating places in the world. This scholarship is designed to help students not only earn money for college, but working while in college. Starting as early as Freshman year of college, you can work at the Agency in Langley, Virginia under the department most closely associated with your declared major. You will spend summers at the Agency while earning money for your fall and spring semesters. It is a rare chance to step into a world most people hardly get to see. If you are interested, please take a look at the criteria for applying:

• Exhibit financial need as demonstrated by the adjusted gross annual household income (AGI) ceiling up to $120,000; if the scholar has not been listed as a dependent for the previous tax year, the AGI ceiling is up to $50,000
• Accept Stokes scholarship funds and sign a Continued Service Agreement that obligates you to work at the CIA 1.5 years for every year that you are in the Stokes Scholarship Program
• Work a full-time schedule (40 hours/week) for a minimum of 12 weeks each summer in the WMA until graduation and onboard as full-time officer (there is no break in service post-graduation; non-local scholars receive relocation entitlements)
• Maintain competitive GPA (minimum 3.0 on a 4.0 scale)
• Remain in full-time status as a student while in the program (min. 12 credit hours for undergraduate programs and 9 credit hours for graduate programs)
• Continue to major in the degree that aligns with the occupation for which you were admitted into the program
• Provide transcripts within 30 days of each semester completion
• Maintain a high standard of work performance, attendance, and conduct at both school and work
• Ability to meet the minimum requirements for joining CIA, including U.S. citizenship and a background investigation

 

9. The New York Times College Scholarship Program

For those students with a passion for journalism, social justice, and storytelling, this scholarship is one you won’t want to miss. Since 1999, this scholarship has granted upwards of $15,000.00 to the selected recipients of this award. You must display a devotion to truth and a keen eye for looking at the world around us—in short, you must display what a journalist should be. If you are interested, please see the criteria for this listed below:

• Current high school seniors who attend a public, parochial or private school in New York City and who have demonstrated:
• Outstanding academic achievement
• Success in the face of adversity
• Significant financial need

 

10. Alexander Graham Bell Scholarship 

The Alexander Graham Foundation is committed to providing financial support to those impacted by deafness and hearing loss. If you or somebody you know has been impacted by deafness, then this might be the best scholarship for you. Each yeah the foundation provides students upwards of $5,000.00, ranging from grades kindergarten, all the way to law school. Please see below for a short summation of application criteria:

• For every application we must receive documentation of a bilateral hearing loss in the moderately-severe to profound range and the use of listening and spoken language.